Spontaneous mutations in FgSAD1 suppress the growth defect of the Fgprp4 mutant by affecting tri-snRNP stability and its docking in Fusarium graminearum

FgPrp4, the only kinase in the spliceosome, is not essential for viability, but is important for splicing efficiency in Fusarium graminearum. The Fgprp4 deletion mutant had severe growth defects but often produced spontaneous suppressors with faster growth rate. To better understand the suppression mechanism, we identified and characterized spontaneous mutations in the tri-snRNP-specific protein, FgSad1, which suppressed the growth defects of Fgprp4. The L512P mutation was verified for its suppressive effects on Fgprp4, suggesting that mutations in FgSad1 may have effects involving FgPrp4 phosphorylation on FgSad1. Phosphoproteomics analysis showed that FgSad1 may not be the direct substrate of FgPrp4 kinase. Furthermore, truncation analysis showed that the N-terminal, extra RS-rich region of FgSad1 is critical for its function and is post-translationally modified. The P258S or S269P mutations in FgSad1 increased its interactions with the U5 protein FgPrp8 and the U4/U6 protein FgPrp31, which may result in tri-snRNP stabilization. Additionally, the D76N mutation increased the association of FgSad1 with the U2 snRNP. These data indicate that suppressor mutations in FgSad1 increase the stability of the tri-snRNP and/or the affinity of FgSad1 with U2 snRNP and therefore potentially facilitate the docking of tri-snRNP into the spliceosome.     

Toxoplasma gondii induces prolonged host epidermal growth factor receptor signalling to prevent parasite elimination by autophagy: Perspectives for in vivo control of the parasite

Toxoplasma gondii causes retinitis and encephalitis. Avoiding targeting by autophagosomes is key for its survival because T. gondii cannot withstand lysosomal degradation. During invasion of host cells, T. gondii triggers epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling enabling the parasite to avoid initial autophagic targeting. However, autophagy is a constitutive process indicating that the parasite may also use a strategy operative beyond invasion to maintain blockade of autophagic targeting. Finding that such a strategy exists would be important because it could lead to inhibition of host cell signalling as a novel approach to kill the parasite in previously infected cells and treat toxoplasmosis. We report that T. gondii induced prolonged EGFR autophosphorylation. This effect was mediated by PKCα/PKCβ ? Src because T. gondii caused prolonged activation of these molecules and their knockdown or incubation with inhibitors of PKCα/PKCβ or Src after host cell invasion impaired sustained EGFR autophosphorylation. Addition of EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) to previously infected cells led to parasite entrapment by LC3 and LAMP‐1 and pathogen killing dependent on the autophagy proteins ULK1 and Beclin 1 as well as lysosomal enzymes. Administration of gefitinib (EGFR TKI) to mice with ocular and cerebral toxoplasmosis resulted in disease control that was dependent on Beclin 1. Thus, T. gondii promotes its survival through sustained EGFR signalling driven by PKCα/β ? Src, and inhibition of EGFR controls pre‐established toxoplasmosis.     

Gut microbiota in patients after surgical treatment for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common disease worldwide that is strongly associated with the gut microbiota. However, little is known regarding the gut microbiota after surgical treatment. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to evaluate differences in gut microbiota among colorectal adenoma patients, CRC patients, CRC postoperative patients and healthy controls by comparing gut microbiota diversity, overall composition and taxonomic signature abundance. The gut microbiota of CRC patients, adenoma patients and healthy controls developed in accordance with the adenoma-carcinoma sequence, with impressive shifts in the gut microbiota before or during the development of CRC. The gut microbiota of postoperative patients and CRC patients differed significantly. Subdividing CRC postoperative patients according to the presence or absence of newly developed adenoma which based on the colonoscopy findings revealed that the gut microbiota of newly developed adenoma patients differed significantly from that of clean intestine patients and was more similar to the gut microbiota of carcinoma patients than to the gut microbiota of healthy controls. The alterations of the gut microbiota between the two groups of postoperative patients corresponded to CRC prognosis. More importantly, we used the different gut microbiota as biomarkers to distinguish postoperative patients with or without newly developed adenoma, achieving an AUC value of 0.72. These insights on the changes in the gut microbiota of CRC patients after surgical treatment may allow the use of the microbiota as non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis of newly developed adenomas and to help prevent cancer recurrence in postoperative patients.     

荒漠草原不同植被微斑块土壤粒径分布分形特征与养分的关系

采集宁夏中部干旱带荒漠草原4种植被(猪毛蒿、甘草、苦豆子、草木樨状黄芪)微斑块土壤剖面3个层次土壤,测定了各微斑块土壤颗粒粒级分布、有机质、pH值、土壤电导率(EC)、全氮、全磷和全钾等理化性质,探讨了不同植被微斑块土壤粒径分布的分形维数(D)特征及其与土壤理化性质的关系.结果表明:斑块化植被分布可影响土壤粒径分布,其影响作用以草木樨状黄芪微斑块最大(D=2.51),甘草微斑块最低(D=2.46);分形维数与黏粒、粉粒含量呈显著正相关,而与砂粒含量呈显著负相关;土壤粒径分布分形维数与pH和EC呈显著正相关,与有机质和全氮含量呈显著负相关,与全磷和全钾含量无显著相关关系.斑块化植被分布有潜在土地盐碱化和土地退化的趋势.     

结直肠癌组织RPN11与Ki67的表达及其临床病理学意义

目的观察去泛素化酶RPN11和增殖相关核标记物Ki67在结直肠癌组织中的表达,研究其与结直肠癌肿瘤细胞增殖的相关性及与结直肠癌临床病理特征的关系。方法采用免疫组织化学SABC法检测56例结直癌组织及20例癌旁正常组织中的RPN11和Ki67表达,结合临床病理学资料进行统计分析。结果免疫组织化学染色显示:RPN11及Ki67在结直肠癌组织的阳性表达率明显高于正常结直肠组织;RPN11和Ki67的表达均与肿瘤分化程度、TNM分期、转移有关,而与性别、年龄无明显相关;RPN11与Ki67的表达呈正相关。结论RPN11和Ki67可能共同参与结直肠癌肿瘤细胞的增殖调控,并促进结直肠癌的发生发展以及浸润转移。     

橄榄种质资源花序表型性状遗传多样性研究

为了解橄榄[Canarium album(Loureiro)Raeuschel]花序表型性状的遗传多样性,对90份橄榄种质资源的花序性状进行观测分析。结果表明,橄榄花序的类型、支轴紧密度、着生位置和花性等表现出较丰富的多样性;从数量性状看,花序花朵数的变异系数最大,其次为支轴花朵数,变异系数最小的是花蕾直径,此外橄榄雄花花序的多样性较雌花丰富。花蕾直径与花瓣长度呈极显著正相关关系,与花序长度、花序支轴数、花序花朵数和支轴花朵数呈极显著负相关。聚类分析结果表明,橄榄种质资源的花序类型可分为3类,大部分雄花和雌花类群间差异较明显。因此,橄榄花序表型性状存在多样性和复杂性,且花序重要单一性状可能影响整体表型。     

荒漠杜加依林冠层水热变化及CO2交换特征

选取新疆艾比湖湿地国家级自然保护区荒漠杜加依林为研究对象,利用通量塔连续观测数据分析新疆艾比湖流域内杜加依林冠层界面水热垂直变化和CO_2交换特征,进一步比较了冠层界面湍流碳通量、植物冠层储存碳通量及净碳交换量,探讨了不同时间和垂直空间序列下杜加依林冠层界面温湿廓线与CO_2交换过程的相互关系。结果表明,新疆艾比湖流域内杜加依林冠层上方大气稳定度生长季的6—9月为中性(z/L=0.009),非生长季为不稳定(z/L=-0.449),全年总体呈不稳定水平(z/L=-0.194);冠层界面上气温垂直变幅小于5℃,随高度呈递增趋势,湿度垂直变幅超过40%;地-气碳通量呈秋冬小春夏大规律,年碳收支高于干旱区平均水平,为-0.026 mg CO_2m~(-2)s~(-1),表现为碳汇;垂直空间尺度上垂直温湿度差与生态系统净碳交换量(NEE,Net Ecosystem Exchange)拟合较好,温度拟合结果为R~2=0.7350(P﹤0.01),湿度拟合结果为R~2=0.3627(P﹤0.01),水热变点分别为5%和1℃,而季节尺度上温度拟合结果较好,温度拟合结果为R~2=0. 5221(P﹤0. 01),湿度拟合结果为R~2=0.1716(P﹤0.01),变点为55%和18℃。生长季较小的冠层垂直温差有利于杜加依林对大气CO_2的吸收,而冠层高湿环境则会抑制杜加依林对CO_2的吸收。     

mRNA表观修饰方式及m6A功能研究进展

mRNA上能发生100多种化学修饰,其中N~6-腺嘌呤(m~6A)是mRNA修饰中最广泛的表观修饰方式之一。在细胞分化、胚胎发育和应激等生物学过程中,特定的mRNA会发生包括N~1-腺嘌呤甲基化、N~5-胞嘧啶甲基化、假尿嘧啶以及N`6-腺嘌呤甲基化等修饰,它们共同形成了mRNA转录后调控的表观修饰转录组,实现对mRNA翻译成蛋白质过程的精确时空调控,特别是m~6A修饰能通过调控mRNA的代谢和翻译等进而调控细胞的一系列生物学过程。文中主要综述mRNA的表观修饰类型和特点,特别是m~6A修饰参与调控mRNA和细胞生物学功能的最新研究进展,并展望了将来m~6A表观修饰的研究重点和方向。     

珍稀濒危植物大花万代兰的花粉团发育及其分类学意义

万代兰属的属间界限划定及其亲缘关系重建是兰科分类系统中的难解之谜。该研究采用常规石蜡切片技术观察了珍稀濒危植物大花万代兰的一对深裂花粉团的形成机制、花药壁发育模式、小孢子发生及雄配子体发育等的胚胎学特征。结果表明：(1)大花万代兰早期的花药原基分化出一对侧生药室,每个药室的小孢子囊中央分化出一条在花药成熟时会降解的不育隔膜组织,形成两个不等深裂的花粉团。(2)发育完整的花药壁有5~9层,包括2~6层药室内壁,符合多层型花药壁发育类型;绒毡层细胞为单核,腺质型,在花药成熟时,表皮、中层和绒毡层皆降解,仅留下2~6层纤维性加厚的药室内壁。(3)小孢子母细胞经过连续型胞质分裂形成正四面体和左右对称的小孢子四分体,小孢子四分体继续保持在同一个胼胝质内,完成有丝分裂形成了2 细胞型的四合花粉;四合花粉两两紧密排列,且由于隔膜组织的降解,最终发育为一对深裂的花粉团。根据现有兰花花药发育资料,分析了大花万代兰花粉团发育的胚胎学特征的分类学意义,为万代兰属错综复杂的系统分类提供了新资料。     

畜禽中药-益生菌复合微生态制剂的研究进展

畜禽中药-益生菌复合微生态制剂是指采用现代发酵技术将益生菌与中药联合发酵,发挥两者的协同作用,以提高畜禽免疫功能、保护畜禽健康的一种新型动物微生态制剂。文中通过调研近几年关于益生菌及中药微生态制剂等方面的文献,综述了畜禽中药-益生菌复合微生态制剂的产生背景及菌种特点,并重点阐述了畜禽中药-益生菌复合微生态制剂的作用机制、在畜禽养殖中的应用及存在问题与建议,以期为畜禽中药-益生菌复合微生态制剂的深入研究提供参考和依据。